Electrical connection



Julie 13, 1933. w ECCLES 1,914,010

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION Filed Sept. 18, 1930 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM E. ECCLES BY cakgg p TORNEY Patented June 13, 1933 NITED-Starts Parser GFFEQE WILLIAM E. ECCLES, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL ENGINEER- ING CORPORATION, OF TERRYVILLE, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECT- ICUT ELECTRICAL CONNECTION Application .filed Se ptember 1s,.192o.' .Serial No. 482,748.

'This invention relatesto' electrical connections, and more particularly, to a connection for groundingfaconduitjand a conductor in an electrical system toa' water or other '6 grounding pipe. 7 a H "An object of, this invention is to provide such a connection which is simple and sturdy, 1 and which maybe securely fastened to the grounding pipe, electrical conduit, and electrical' conductor ina' very'simplefmanne'r.

One of the features of this invention is the provision of a connector having'two' fixtures, one of which is rotat-ably mounted with'respectato the other on an axis which isin a pipe and. the conduit pipe and at the intersection of such plane's, so'that the two pipes may lie one directly in front of the other and parallel or at any angle with respect to each particular job. I I

Another feature of this invention is'thc provision of one of the fixtures on a clamp comprising a pair of jaws whichare expanslg 2 ble and contractable to take grounding pipes of various diameters and including a pair of screws by means of which the jaws may be firmly drawn togetherto anchor the fixture to' the grounding pipe. Preferably, according to the present invention, the screws for attachingthe fixture to the grounding pipe are independent of the means for attaching the fixtures together or to the conduit pipe so that the fixtures may be separately attached to the conduit and grounding pipes and then be secured together.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 shows the connection in elevation attached to a grounding pipe and a conduit, the latter being shown. in sect-ion, and the pipes being arranged parallel one in front of the other. d

Fig. 2 shows the connection partly in section, with the pipes arrangedat right angles to each other.

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the pipes at approximately a 45 angle with respect to each other.

In the embodiment of this invention shown in the accompanying drawing, the connection plane common to the axis of'the' grounding other which they happen to assume on a comprisesitwo fixtures, a'fixture 10 adapted to be connected to a conduit llanda fixture 12 adapted to be connected to a grounding p p The latter fixture comprises two jaw pdr ti'ons l4 and 15 provided with angularly dis posed clamping surfaces 16 having teeth'17 adapted to bite intothe material of .the

grounding pipe and thusform good electrical [and mechanical connection therewith. The,

two aws 1 4 and,l5 are structurally s ep- I arate and are secured together by screw means which may be constituted by bolts passing j through {ears 18. on the jaws, butpreferably,

according to the present invention, the screw.,.fi means s constituted by a pairof screws 19 passing through" holes in the ears" l8 on the clamping member 14 and into threaded bosses 20 on the clamping member. 15.

Thus, to attach the fixture 12 to the grounding pipe, the screws 19 are removed J from the threaded bosses 20 by engaging-the heads 21 thereof with a wrench or by using a screw-driver in ajkerf 22 provided in each head,and then the two clamping pieces'l l fl and 15 are placed on opposite sides of'the grounding pipe. After this, the screws19 are threaded through the bosses 20 on the clamping member 15 until the clamping members are tightly drawn against'the pipe ii desired position vertically on the pipe and rotatably about the pipe 13. I

The fixture 10 adapted to be connected to the conduit 11 has a flat portion 23 and a cylindrical screw-threaded portion 24, vthe latter being provided with external screw threads 25 and internal screw-threads 26 so that, as shown in Fi 1, the screw-threaded portion 2a may receive an end of the conduit 11 having internal threads 27 of say a %"5 conduit pipe, while, as shown in Fig. 2, the" screw-threaded portion 24 of the fixture 10 may receive in its internal threads 26 the external threads 28'of a pipe, for instance. In this way, the fixture 10 is made J so that it will accommodate without the use' of reducers, two sizes of'pipeone to be taken on the external threads 25 and the other to be taken inthe internal threads 26. The fiat portion 23 of the fixture 10 is preferably fixture v .a.

As stated above, the fixtures and 12 are rotatably adjustable relative to each' othiso as'to accommodate the 'connectionto pipes 10 having various angularities relative 'to'ea'ch' other. For this purpose, in the form of the invention shown herein, there is providedi a cylindrical boss 30 on the clamping member 14 of the fixture 12a-nd-a cylindrical socket 'The boss anaemia; have a comparatively loose fitaiid are provided for the purpose of conveniently locating the two parts, one relative to the other, for rotary relative movement preparatory to the securing of the parts together. When the fixtures ar'elocated in the desired angular positions relative to each other with the cylindrical boss'30 in the socket 31-, a screw 32 is passed through a hole 33 in the flat portion23 of the fixture 10 and enters a. threaded hole 34; in the boss of the clampingmember 14. Tightening of the screw causes'the engaging surfaces at the prevented.

,i, In this way, the conduitpipa 11 is held in: ffirm and good electrical'and mechanical conf tact and 'connection with the "grounding pipe 13. I 1

To ground the electric system,-agroun'ding 11' may have its end'coiled and placed under the head 36 of the screw 32, but preferably, according to the present invention, it is [soldered in a lug 37 and this lug has an aperture'38 through which the screw 34 extends I so that the end 39 of the lug may be disposed between the head 36 of the screw and the fiat portion 23 of the 'fixture 10. By thus arranging the parts, it will be seen that even should .the lug 38011 the end of the contact 35 be insulated by a film of dirt or. other matter from the fiat surfaces 23 of the fixture 10, or only form poor electrical connection therewith, grounding current will pass from the lugto the head 36 of the screw 32 and from this directly through the screw to the clamping member 14, which, it will be remembered, is in direct electrical and mechanical engagement with the grounding pipe.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others. I

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters Patent, is

31 on the fiat portion 230i the fixture 10.

1 to the other.

feat .r r in desired ngular positions "one relative to H th 'ef other. base of -the boss andat the outside of the cylindrical socket to be clamped in intimate" 'con'tact'with each other, and thereby rotation of the fixture 10 about the fixture 12 is arms together on a grounding piper; a fixture "for attachment to a conduit pipe and having "a'b'earing on one of said clamping arms to permit rotary f relative movement between the fixtures'i to accommodate the connection is to pipes having various angularities'relative to each 'other; and a screw having its axis always located perpendicular to the axis of -each 'pipe for'ecuring the fixtures together in the desirediangular positions one relative CC '2 electrical connection comprising a fixture for attachment to 1 a grounding, pipe a' 'fixt'ure 'for attachment to' a conduitp pe cooperating bearing surfaces on said fixtures" 3 to permit relative rotary movements between the fixturesto accommodate the'connecti'on to pipes various angularities relative to each other; and a screw" having its 3X18:

,al'ways locr'tted" perpendicular to the axis Oftfi forsecuringthefixtures together .13; ,An electrical connection comprising i ui'l for. attachment" to a grounding pipe a fixture for attachmentf to a conduit pipe and means 'connecting the fixtures together I for relative rotary movements tofaccommo- 'date 'the connection to pipes havingvarious angularities relative to each other, saidro-ICC tary movement being about an axis always located I perpendicular -,to the axis of each piper wire 35 which s carried by the conduitpipe E l. An electrical connection comprising: a fixture for attachment to a conduit pipe, a fixturejforattachment to a grounding pipe, said last-named fixture including a pair of V-sh'ape'd solidfjaws andscrews connecting the jaws together to permit relative-spacing from and toward each toaccommodate other Z10 ground pipes of various diameters; and separate means connecting said fixtures together in any angular position relative to each other in parallel planes. v

5. An electrical connection comprising a fixture for attachment to a grounding pipe and having a cylindrical boss; a fixture for attachment to a conduit pipe having a cylindrical socket adapted to receive said boss and about which said fixtures may have rotary movement one relative to the other to accommodatepipes having various angularities relative to each other, saidboss and socket having an axis always located perpendicular to the axis of eachpipe; and means for securing thefixtures together.

6. An electrical connection comprising a fixture for attachment. to a grounding pipe and havinga cylindrical boss; a fixture for attachment to a conduit pipe having a cylindrical socket adapted to receive said boss and about which said fixtures may have rotary movement one relative to the other to accommodate pipes having various angularities 5. relative to each other, said boss and socket having an axis always located perpendicular to the axis of each pipe, said boss having a screw-threaded portion and said socket having a screw-hole; and a screw passing through said screw-hole and threaded in said threaded portion of the boss for holding the fixtures together.

7. An electrical connection comprising a fixture for attachment to a grounding pipe; a

fixture for attachment to a conduit pipe; and a pivotal and locking connection for said fixtures adapted to permit rotary movement of the fixtures to accommodate a pipe and conduit having various angularities relative to 2 each other, said connection having an axis always located perpendicular to the axis of the pipe and conduit.

8. An electrical connection, comprising a fixture for attachment to a grounding pipe,

2 said fixture including a pair of solid clamping arms having straight line relative movement, adapted to embrace a grounding pipe; a pair of screws on the ends of said arms for securing said clamping arms together on a grounding pipe; a fixture for attachment to a conduit pipe; cooperating sections on said fixture and one of said clamping arms; and screw means independent of and located mid- Way between the first-named screw means for securing the cooperating sections of the fixture and the clamping arm together in de sired angular position one relative to the other and at the same time to clamp a conductor which extends through the conduit,

4 rigidly to the electrical connection.

9. An electrical connection, comprising a jaw-like member capable of seating on a grounding pipe; a fixture threaded to receive a conduit pipe; a solid jaw capable of movement toward and away from said jaw like member; screw means for moving said jaw toward said member for rigidly clamping the grounding pipe therebetween; and screw means independent of the first-named screw means for securing the fixture and the jaw-like member together in a desired an gular position one relative to the other.

Signed at Terryville, in the county of Litchfield, and State of Connecticut, this 25th day of August, 1930.

WILLIAM E. ECCLES. 

